Learning To Dance In The Rain
by uhnonniemiss
Summary: Phil is afraid of thunderstorms, and after he comes home crying one day, Dan decides to help. 3 chapters, lots of Phan, and lots and lots of fluff xxx please review for my eternal love
1. Chapter 1

**Learning To Dance In The Rain**

Phil stared at the grey, almost black clouds, as a sense of unease washed over him, tremors shuddering through his hands. _Oh God, please can you not_, he prayed, sprinting as the first fat raindrops fell from the sky.

Phil was terrified of thunderstorms- as in, screaming, sobbing, nervous wreck terrified. He wasn't proud of it, but something about the flashes across the sky and the deep rolling bass made him want to curl up and hide for the rest of his life. The first strike crashed around him and he flinched, an involuntary whimper breaking it's way from his chest. He ran and ran and ran, panicked, frantic, breath hitching with sobs._ Come on, Phil, you're a grown man! Why are you crying at a storm?_ But the 6 year old within him refused to accept this, and tears continued to streak down his face.

He kept running, muscles straining, not even trying to conceal his sobs anymore. The thunder was right on top of him, and as it rolled he bit is lip, trying to stop himself screaming. His shoe slipped on the wetness underfoot and he fell, hands reached out to break his fall. He landed awkwardly, grazing his palms and twisting his ankle, but got up regardless, limping slightly. All that mattered was getting out of this storm, this hideous monster of a storm, and getting home to Dan.

Dan heard Phil slam the door shut, and smiled, glad his boyfriend was back. He padded barefoot to the door, which Phil was leaning against, soaked through and out of breath. "Hey, you were a long time, did you decide it was easier to breed the cow than just buy milk?" Phil didn't respond- Dan noticed he was shaking. "Phil?"

Phil tilted his head up, tears falling thick and fast down his cheeks, eyes wide and terrified. Without a word he wrapped his arms round Dan's neck, and Dan held him tightly. "Phil, sweetheart? What's happened?"

"There's a st-st-storm outside," he whispered, whimpering. "D-Dan, I'm- I'm really sc-scared…" he was shivering so much he couldn't get the words out, but Dan understood.

"Ssh, sweetheart, I've got you, it's alright." He made soothing little noises in Phil's ear, trying to calm desperate, erratic breathing. "How about you go take a shower, and I'll make some tea? That sound like a good idea?" He felt Phil nod against his shoulder, and planted a feather-light kiss on his hair. "I love you."

Phil pulled away, managing a shaky smile for the first time that evening. "L-Love you too, Dan. I love you too"

**Okay, waddya guys think? Not finished by the way, still another 2 chapters to go (3 is the magic number with me apparently), there will lots more fluff and -gasp- character development! So please review and follow like the beautiful, wonderful people you are (free lobster marriage for all reviewers) xoxoxo**


	2. Chapter 2

"All done," Dan finished wrapping the bandage around Phil's grazed hand and stuck down the edge with cellotape, before lifting the injured hand and kissing each one of the fingertips, lightly and carefully. Phil smiled gratefully, the ends of his hair still curly and wet from the shower. They sat cross legged facing each other on the sofa, almost-empty cups of tea beside them, as rain continued to lash against the window.

"How come you never told me?" Dan wondered aloud, as Phil moved to rest his head on the other boy's lap. "If I'd known, I'd never have left you alone, I could have come and helped you. Jesus, when you got home, I thought you'd been attacked, or someone had died."

Phil's eyes tightened. "Oh, god, Dan, I'm sorry, I'm really-" Dan cut him off, kissing his forehead.

"Shh. I didn't mean it like that and you know it. I just can't stand the thought of you being terrified of something and having to face it by yourself. We're a team, sweetheart, remember? Dan and Phil, Phil and Dan, against the world."

Phil grinned, but covered his face, embarrassed. "Ugh, but it's such a stupid phobia. Some people are scared of the inevitability of death and the end of existence and I'm scared of the stupid rain."

"It's not stupid, it's cute. Just like your fear of cute little fluffy bunnies who carry marshmallows." Dan poked him in the side and Phil laughed, attempting to hit him with the cushions.

"Dan, actually stop!"

"That's not what your mum said last night."

"Daan!" Phil somehow managed to barrel roll onto the floor, still laughing. He tried to get up but stood on the tv remote, and they both jumped about a foot in the air as sound blasted from the news.

"Well, sorry Jim, but it looks like it's going to be storms, storms and more storms this week!" the weatherman in the waistcoat and tie said. "Starting from later tonight we're in for a spell of wet weather, drifting in from the south-west, settling mostly around London, but also drifting down the coast. It's not clear how long this storm season will last, but rest assured you'll be needing an umbrella for the rest of the week."

Dan glanced at Phil, who was sat tensely on the edge of the sofa, fingers digging into the fabric. His face had turned an even more translucent shade of pale, and Dan could see his shoulders starting to shake again.

Dan coughed sharply, trying to draw the attention away from the news. "So, um, weathermen are dressing a lot more formally." Phil didn't respond, just kept on staring straight ahead. "Phil?" he moved forwards, taking his boyfriend's hand in his own. "Is there anything I can do, to make this better?"

Phil shook his head, squeezing the hand back gently. "No. Trust me, if there was, I'd tell you, but there's not. All I can do is stay inside and I should be okay. I should be. No, no, I will be." His face took on a set of grim determination, like a soldier facing a battlefield.

"Do you want to sleep with me tonight? No, not like that," he laughed, noting Phil's delicate blush. "Just sleeping, you pervert."

"Oh," A smile almost managed to break through. Almost. "Thank you, but I need to do this by myself. I can't get over it if I'm clinging onto you."

"It wouldn't be clinging, but I get it. We should probably get an early night, you should try and sleep before it starts." He pressed his lips to Phil's, trying to send every little piece of love, of strength, of fearlessness he had through the brief contact. Phil kissed him back, and for a moment the storm didn't matter, nothing in the whole entire world mattered, because in their beautiful, firework-sparkling world, everything but their kiss was a lie.

Dan pulled away, drinking in the lines of Phil's closed eyes, the contours of his mouth as he smiled, and knew that in all his life, he'd never wanted someone to be happy quite so much. "I'm gonna get you through this, Phil. I promise."

"I know," Phil whispered, eyes still closed. "I trust you."

Phil's eyes shot open as the thunder cracked across the sky, and he sat bolt upright in the bed. Rain continued it's assault on the window, wind shrieking through the gaps round the edges.

There was silence for a moment, his heartbeat thumping loud in his ears, and then lightning lit up the room in a violent flash and another thunderclap broke above him. Phil buried his head in the blankets, muffling a scream- suddenly he was a little boy again, who'd had a stupid fight over nothing with his mum, and who'd run away, slipped through the gate when no one was watching. He'd stayed at the bus stop for three hours, two shirts and a teddy bear in his backpack, while his parents had tried desperately to find him in the dark. It had been a miracle he'd not been picked up by a creepy old man, but being alone and scared in the rain had definitely put six year old Phil off the idea of running away for good- still, the phobia had stuck with him through his teenage years, and while usually he could call one of his parents during stormy seasons, this year they'd gone away to Florida and left him here, all alone.

_No, no, I'm not alone_, Phil thought, flinching again as thunder rolled above him._ I'm not alone. I have Dan_. I need Dan. Swallowing every bit of pride he had, he pushed off the covers and almost ran to his boyfriend's room, knocking quietly but urgently on the door.  
Dan leapt out of bed, wrenching the door open as quickly as he could. "Phil? Phil, has something happened?" He opened his arms and Phil fell into them gladly.

"N-no, I just, I woke up and I- can, um, can I sleep with you tonight?" he whispered, suddenly feeling foolish in the safety of Dan's arms, but still entirely unwilling to sleep alone.

"Of course you can, sweetheart, all you had to do is ask." he led Phil over to the bed and they lay down together, feet entwined, underneath the blankets, as Dan held the other boy's fingers between his palms, trying to lend him warmth. "Are you going to be okay?"

Phil nodded mutely, closing his eyes. "You know why I wanted to be a weatherman?"

"You never did tell me."

"I never told anyone. It was because when I was little, I thought the weatherman controlled the weather. I thought they decided when the sun shone, when snow fell, and when the storms came. So I thought, if I could be a weatherman, I could keep the storms away forever. When I got older, I realised it wouldn't work, but D-Dan…"

"Yes?" Phil's voice had dropped to an almost inaudible whisper, Dan had to strain to hear him.

"Dan, you help keep the storms away. And I think you always will."

"I hope so, sweetheart," Dan whispered back, the words getting caught in his throat. "I hope so." He kissed him on the forehead, but Phil had already fallen asleep, dreaming of places far more wonderful than this. It took a while for Dan to join him, but there was a single thought coursing through his mind, over and over again.

_I might not be able to keep the storms away completely, but I will find a way to help. I promise._

**Wow that was a long chapter! As I said, they'll be another one along soon, so stay tuned xxxx**  
**Also extra bonus points if you see the two fandom references I managed to slip in.**  
**As always, reviews and follows are the food of love xoxoxoxo Thanks to NeverlandNat, RainbowPeaches, everythingineedandmore, ElzyPhangirl and an anonymous user for reviweing the last chapter xxx**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys xxx have an update! Also, this chapter is best read with the aid of music, particularly Olafur Arnalds (I recommend this on youtube: watch?v=mYIfiQlfaas but really anything by him will do, and of course this is just a suggestion)**

Phil woke up in a lemony haze of sunlight, the terror from the night before almost forgotten. He stretched out on the bed, blinking his eyes blearily at Dan, who was still tangled up in the sheets, the tanned boy's breathing not quite deep enough to betray sleep. Phil rolled over onto his side, and kissed his boyfriend on the nose. "Good morning."

Dan smiled, a lazy, morning smile. "Good morning," he replied, returning the kiss, this time full on the mouth. Phil melted into him, heart pounding, hands reaching up and running through the other's hair. Part of him felt silly, the way he got nervous and excited and ecstatic at Dan's touch, how the cinnamon taste of his lips made him blushing and breathless. And then, always, always, he remembered.

_You keep the storms away._

Dan brushed the hair out of Phil's eyes. "How are you feeling?"

"Um. Better, I think. There's going to be another storm later." he could usually tell- yesterday being the outstanding exception- when a storm was brewing. Something to do with the electricity in the air, making the hairs on the back of his neck stand to attention.

"I know," Dan's eyes tightened with sympathy. "Phil, will you do something for me?"

"I don't do nothing without a condom. I ain't that type of girl, Daniel."

"Shut up," Dan shoved him playfully, kicking off the covers and grabbing a pair of jeans from the floor. "For today, will you promise me to stay in here? I need to run a couple of errands, and I'll bring you food and everything."

Phil sat up and rubbed his eyes, confused. "Sure?" Dan leaned across the bed and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you, sweetheart, " he smiled, pulling a t-shirt over his head. He grabbed Phil's laptop off the floor- _why does everything electrical gravitate to places which are not my room_?- and almost ran out of the room, excitement buzzing around him like a cloud.

So Phil spent the day in bed. It was kind of nice, actually- sort of like being sick without the actual sickness. _I could do with the rest, _he thought. _Last night was pretty heavy on the emotional-drainage-meter. _Dan visited, true to his word, checking on Phil every so often, usually out of breath and hurried but also usually carrying a sandwich. Dan and food were always welcome sights, so Phil was okay, mostly. But as the clock ticked, he couldn't help but notice the sickening sense if dread that was creeping up on him. Because he wasn't sure if he could cope with one more thunderstorm.

Some time later, Phil awoke from a nap he'd never meant to have. The sky was an ominous, gunmetal grey, and he shivered, sitting up to pull the blankets round himself. He noticed that Dan's fairy lights weren't wrapped around the headboard- they were tied to the end of the bed and led out the door, and when Phil approached, he saw a tiny note.

_Wear a devastating cocktail dress and meet me on the balcony._

_I keep my promises, sweetheart._

Phil laughed at Dan's impossibly stupid humour, but couldn't help but be confused at the enigmatic message. Taking the cocktail dress reference as a code to not look homeless, he showered in record time, grabbing some vaguely clean clothes from Dan's death pit of a wardrobe- other people's clothes were eternally more comfortable, and there was something satisfying in using Dan's tshirts, something that let people know that they belonged to each other and nobody else. The second he was ready, he opened the door, realising that the fairy lights had been tied to others, leading in a glowing path all the way to his destination, the golden lights melting beautifully into the music carrying from the terrace. He pushed open the frosted glass door to see something, well,_ glorious._

Dan leaned against the railing, silhouetted against the skyline. The music he could hear before was coming from an old gramophone- a real, honest to god, gramophone, making the tones of the music flow over him like liquid, like silk. There were even roses on the table, their petals creamy-white. Dan turned to him, and smiled, a warm smile that only truly showed in his eyes when they looked at each other like this. "Hello, sweetheart," he whispered, taking Phil's hands.

For a moment, Phil forgot all about the storm, losing himself in those eyes, but he snapped back to reality harshly. "Dan! Dan, I can't be up here, the storm's about to hit, I can't be out here, I really, can't-"

"Phil," he said the word like he kissed- deep and light, all at once. "I know. But trust me. I've got you. You've always seen the storms as something to be feared, and I just- I want to show you that they are beautiful, almost as beautiful as you. Because I keep my promises."

Without even hearing it, Phil knew what the promise was. "You're going to keep the storms away." _Oh, I love you, Dan Howell. _

Dan crossed quickly over to the glass table- Phil noticed it was protected from the elements by two umbrellas. The other boy held two glass flutes of bubbling, golden liquid, and offered one to Phil. "Champagne? Seriously?" Phil covered his mouth, laughing.

Dan grimaced. "Too corny?"

Phil took a sip- the rumours were true, it really did taste of starlight. "No, actually. Just right."

The rain started falling, lightly at first, then in large splashes, glowing alien colours in the fading sun. Phil's hands started shaking, and he placed the glass down on the table. He put his arms around Dan's waist, burying his face in his shoulder. "I hope you know what you're doing." He flinched as the first flash of lightning shot across the sky.

Dan didn't answer, just placed one hand on Phil's shoulder, and taking Phil's own pale, shaking fingers in the other. "Dance with me."

"What?"

"Dance with me." Thunder rolled above them, droplets of water falling on their faces, but the music was there in the background, unfaltering, unaffected by the rainstorm. Taking a deep breath, he began to sway in time with it, gradually becoming braver and braver, and soon the couple were dancing properly against the sunset, staring into each other's eyes, their feet moving from instinct and long-lost memory and something not entirely unlike magic. Phil could feel that part of him, telling him to hide, screaming out in fear, but somehow he couldn't quite feel it. Nothing could touch them here, in this beautiful, shimmering sanctuary- here, they were safe.

Phil looked up at Dan, and realised he was smiling, they were both smiling, and why not, the world was far too precious to be afraid. "Dan, I'm not- I'm not scared. I'm okay. How? How are you doing this?"

Dan spun him round, and pulled him in close, their lips almost touching. "I just had to let you know something. I don't know where I heard it, but I knew it would help."

"What is it?" Other people would have got annoyed by now, angrily demanded an answer, but Phil wouldn't- he cherished this enigma, knew that if they studied each other for a thousand years they could still find something new. That was part of their adventure, just them, Dan and Phil, Phil and Dan, against the world. "What did you have to let me know."

Dan closed his eyes, a smile still playing on his lips. "Life isn't about trying to hide from the storm, sweetheart. It's about learning to dance in the rain."

"Oh," Phil didn't think he'd ever stop smiling. "Oh. God, I love you, Dan. I really do."

"And I you, Phil. Forever and ever. I promise." And then they were kissing, kissing until their hearts would burst, and all around them, the world continued to glow.

**Alrighty! Thank you very much for reading this, all your wonderful reviews have been and continue to be greatly appreciated xxx Thanks to NeverlandNat, Arkham's Angel, RainbowPeaches, ElzyPhangirl and an anonymous visitor for reviewing the last chapter.**

**A side note: The references were from "One Day," a book by David Nicholls, and the weatherman was a reference to Cecil Baldwin from the podcast "Welcome To Night Vale." I own neither of these, and neither do I own Dan or Phil.**

**I'm not sure what my next fanfic will be, so please send me prompts/ follow me on tumblr, my URL is frankencactus. In the meantime, my previous fanfic "Never Better" can be seen on my profile, so please go give that a review!**

**Again, thank you very much, and don't forget to leave a review xxx**


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